Valve mechanism



Dec. 26, 1933. H. B. HALvoRsl-:N

VALVE MECHANI SM Filed July 12, 1929 Patented Dec. 26, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE MECHANI SM Application July 12, 1929. Serial No. 377,839

Claims.

take closure unloader valve mechanism of the rotary grid type combined with improved manual and automatic means for operating the same. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear during the course of the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown for purposes of illustration one form which my invention may assume in practice.

In the drawing,-

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view in side elevation of a fluid compressing system in which my improved valve mechanism may be incorporated.

Fig. 2 is a vertical central section through my improved valve mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing the valve operating mechanism.

Fig. 5,is a transverse section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

In the fluid compressing system shown in Fig. l with which my invention is incorporated in the illustrative form, 7 indicates a compound compressor of the angle type discharging through pipe 8 to a receiver tank 9. The compressor has a high pressure cylinder 10, intercooler 11 and a low pressure cylinder 12 to which leads an inlet connection 13 of comparatively large size through which the low pressure air or other fluid is supplied to the compressor. A well known principle of automatic regulation is here employed wherein unloading is accomplished by closing off the common inlet to both ends of the low pressure cylinder. In such a regulating system a pilot valve, for example, the one illustrated at 14 is connected to the receiver tank by way of a suitable pipe 15 so as to be responsive to receiver` tank pressure. Upon a predetermined high pressure this pilot valve operates in a well known manner to admit pressure iiuid to the compressor unloading device and upon a predetermined low pressure to close off the air supply and vent the compressor unloader.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the intake to the low pressure cylinder is through a large elbow 16 which is connected to the inlet pipe 13 by means of a suitable flanged connection 17. A valve mechanism of the rotary grid type is herein disposed between the member 17 and the elbow 16. This valve mechanism comprises a stationary 30 ported valve seat 18 and a movable grid or plate valve 19. The elbow 16, the valve seat 18 and the member 17 are held together by bolts 17.

As shown in Fig. 5, the valve seat has a number of slots or ports 20 arranged radially around the G5 center of the valve seat and the valve plate 19 has similar slots or ports 21, the slots in the valve normally coming between the slots or ports in -the seat when the valve is in closed position.

When, however, the valve is to be opened, the valve plate is rotated relatlve to the seat until the slots or ports in both valve and seat register or lie over each other, when there will be no obstruction to the free flow of air or other fluid toward the compressor. The valve seat and valve each have a central hole through which passes a vertical shaft 22 having a square section 22' for connection to the valve plate 19, which also has a suitable bearing in a boss 23 preferably formed integral with the elbow 16. A spring 24, a washer 25 and p'n 26 are arranged in the manner shown at the lower end of the shaft to press the valve yieldingly against its seat. An operating lever 27 connected to the shaft by a pin 28 extends perpendicularly to the shaft and is adapted to be 5 moved either manually by means of a handle 29 or automatically by a fluid pressure actuated device to open and close the rotary grid valve. It will be noted that the valve is arranged below the seat, that is, on the side towards the initial fluid intake, so that when the compressor is unloaded the unbalanced pressure due to the existence of a partial vacuum in the elbow 16 will aid in effecting a seal by pressing the valve towards its seat.

The uid pressure actuating device comprises a cylinder member 30 arranged horizontally and attached :'n any suitable manner to the elbow casting 16. A cylinder head 3l is bolted to the cylinder and provides means for connection to pipe 32 connecting the cylinder and pilot valve. A piston 33 has an extension which is herein of reduced diameter and is provided with an annular groove 34 formed therein and adapted to engage a pin 35 xed in the operating lever 27. 105 A follower member 38 is held in place in the operating cylinder by a pin 39 and between this follower and the piston is a compression spring 40 which normally holds the piston to the left as viewed in Fig. 3, which is the position in which the rotary grid valve will be open to allow the compressor to be loaded.

Any suitable device may be provided for holding the compressor in unloaded position after the same is shifted to such position manually, and in this instance I have illustrated a small spring plunger devicey 41 which is adapted to engage a hole 42 in the operating cylinder when the device is operated automatically. This device may be held in released position by any suitable means such as a pin 43, which, when turned by rotation of the plunger in raised position oi.' the latter, may be caused to seat upon the top of the handle 29 and thereby hold the plunger in raised (inoperative) position.

In operation, when the compressor has operated to build up a predetermined high pressure in the receiver 9, vthe pilot valve 14 will trip and admit pressure uid to the operating cylinder 30 which will thereupon move the piston 33 to the left and carry with it the pin 35. The lever 2'? will thereby be rotated counterclockwise a small amount suilicent to entirely close off the ports of the rotary grid valve. This operation cuts oi the supply of uid to the low pressure cylinder of the compressor and the low pressure piston s'mply operates without doing any work and so no more air is supplied to the intercooler or the high pressure cylinder. When fluid has been drawn off from the receiver tank for a certain length of time, the pressure will be reduced sufliciently to cause the pilot valve to operate to its other position and vent the cylinder 30 of the valve operating device. The spring 40 will then automatically rotate the valve to open position, permitting free iiow of fluid to the compressor and loading the same. Manual unloading, as for starting, is also possible.

As a result of my invention it will be observed that a very simple and reliable form of intake closure unloading valve has been provided which readily lends itself to a very simple type of operating mechanism adapted to be controlled either manually or automatically. 'I'he valve mechanism is exceedingly compact and has many advantages particularly when employed in a compressor unloading system of the type herein shown and described.

While I have in this application specically described one form which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modiiied and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.'

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a Valve casing, a rotary valve in said casing, an operating shaft projecting outwardly from said casing in the direction of fluid flow through said valve, a lever projecting radially from said shaft having a handle thereon whereby it may be manually actuated, and automatic means for actuating said valve comprising a cylinder extending transversely of said lever and adjacent thereto, a piston in said cylinder, a connection from said piston to said lever, and a spring normally urging said piston in the direction opposite that in which it is moved by uid pressure.

2. In combination, a valve casing, a rotary valve in said casing, an operating shaft projecting outwardly from said casing, a lever projecting radially from said shaft having a handle thereon whereby it may be manually actuated, and automatic means for actuating said valve comprising a cylinder extending transversely of said lever and adjacent thereto, a piston in said cylinder, a connection from said piston to said lever, a spring normally urging said piston in the direction opposite that in which it is moved by iiuid pressure, and a device for continuously holding said `piston in the position to which it is shifted by uid pressure. Y

3. In combination, an elbow member adapted to constitute a fluid conduit and having an inlet end and an outlet end, a ported valve seat member extending transversely of said elbow at its inlet end, a rotatable valve member contacting with said valve seat member at the outer side thereof, operating and supporting means for said valve member including a shaft extending through said elbow and valve seat and resiliently supporting said valve member upon said seat, said valve member having a non-rotative but slidable connection with said shaft and means cooperating with the other end of said shaft for rotating the latter and said valve, and means secured to said elbow outside said valve seat and providing a chamber enclosing said valve and having a shoulder underlying the outer edge of the latter.

4. In combination, a member forming a passage through which fluid may be conducted, a stationary ported valve seat extending transversely of said passage, a rotary valve rotating in planes transverse to the portion of said passage adjacent thereto, and operating and controlling means for said valve including a pressure iiuid operated device for rotating said valve to closed position on fluid supply to said device, means for automatically opening said valve on venting of the uid supplied to said device, and automatic means, rendered inoperative at will, for automatically retaining said valve in closed position when the latter is moved thereto.

5. In combination, a valve casing, a rotary valve in said casing, an operating shaft projecting outwardly from said casing, a lever projecting from said shaft and having a handle whereby it may be manually actuated, and automatic means for actuating said valve comprising a cylinder extending transversely of said lever, apiston in said cylinder, a connection between said piston and lever for transmitting power from the former to the latter, a spring normally urging said piston in the direction opposite to that in which it is moved by uid pressure, and means releasable at will for automatically retaining said piston in the position to which it is moved by uid pressure.

HALBERT B. HALVORSEN. 

